So there you have it, no more straws, be hyper-vigilant with sunscreen, and repair the lines you already have with Acute Care. You're welcome!*Did you know that you can get Rodan + Fields products at a discount in two ways?

By becoming part of my team you could earn your own skincare products for free by helping others and earning a commission.

OR

By becoming a Preferred Customer. A one time $19.95 fee on your first order of $80 or more gets you some perks:

Free Shipping on regularly scheduled orders every 60 days*

Up to 10% off all Rodan + Fields products, all the time

Exclusive access to product promotions

Enhanced Customer Service with our PC Perks Hotline

Interested in anything you've read about here today? Comment or email me at jsneill@zoominternet.net and we can talk.

In
a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon
until thoroughly combined. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter
is smooth. Into a microwave-safe mug with straight
sides, scoop a big spoonful of batter, then sprinkle with a spoonful of
cinnamon sugar. Alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.

Microwave
on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until cake is done to your liking.
Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

Bag up the dry ingredients into 2 separate bags (flour mixture in one and cinnamon sugar in another) and tuck into your "This Might Be Cake" Mug and gift it to your nearest and dearest cake lover.

9.19.2015

I think all of you know that I have struggled over the past few years as my kids have become more independent and are needing me less and less. I identify myself as a mom and have for the past 16 years. It is the role I was meant to play, it is my dream job, it is my life. I have embraced this role with everything I have and it makes me cry as I type this because I can see my job position being phased out.

I will always be a mom, but it won't always consume my life the way it has for the past 16 years. The kicker is that if I do my job right, I will become obsolete in 18 years. That's just the way it is. It's what I have worked for and also what I have dreaded. Taking my high school junior to visit colleges this summer has really shined a light on my future.

I love these damn kids so much!

Even now, my days stretch out before me as I try to fill the hours between morning bus and afternoon bus. I wait to be "back on duty". I have had Hope Studios, The Shop to keep me busy and dabbled in starting my Organizing Business but I have yet to find something to fulfill me the way motherhood has.

I am trying something new to give me the "oomph" I felt so many years ago with Pampered Chef. That job gave me back a little of myself when I was a new mother who had lost her identity under piles of diapers and bottles. I want to try direct sales again. I'm good at it, but it has to be something I believe in. My skincare routine has been something to boost my confidence recently and is easing me into aging gracefully. I want to see if it can also ease the transition I'm experiencing with my life. I sat down to write the following essay about it yesterday and I wanted to share with all of you as I announce my business launch:

Why Rodan + Fields...

After I turned 40 (a few years ago!) I began a
self-improvement journey.I embraced
everything from clean eating, to exercise, to hair care.I even whitened my teeth.I was able to change my body, but my new way
of life didn't reflect on my face. My skin was developing brown patches and
wrinkles and I noticed friends asking me if I was tired or sick on days I
didn't wear makeup.I researched
different medical treatments to get my glow back and started to lose some of my
confidence.

Around the same time, I wanted to fill my new free time with
a part-time job to help contribute toward our boys' college fund.I had taken the last 16+ years off to raise
our 3 sons and worried about what an employer would think of me.A middle-aged mother who had lots of
experience organizing and accomplishing things an employer would never
value.Could I list President of Junior
Wrestling or Proud Room Parent on my resume? Under accomplishments could I
explain that I created and raised 3 smart, healthy, happy boys?I searched job listings every night on my
phone.

I began to compose my job requirements in my head: A creative part-time job helping others
while also helping me regain my confidence.Must have flexibility to accommodate school and sports schedules. No
holidays, nights, or weekends.

I was becoming discouraged and realized I needed to work for
someone who knew me. Someone who knew my drive, my passion for work I
love…someone who would give me a chance to prove myself.I started asking friends if they were hiring.

One day in the shower, I remembered a Facebook message from
6 months prior.I started to piece
together a plan that might solve both my problems.Why had I never taken care of my skin the way
I take care of my body?Why hadn’t I
looked for ways to be my own boss?

I immediately texted the friend who had reached out to me so
many months before, “Hey girl, kids are back in school.Let’s talk Rodan + Fields. Call me.”Those three sentences helped me with my skin,
my job search, and my confidence.This
is my “why”, this is how I started working for myself while taking care of the
outside as well as the inside.The
future looks bright.Call me, I can’t
wait to help you the way R + F has helped me.

So, there you have it. I'm jumping in and feel like I have found "the thing" to take me through the next phase of my life. If you have been experiencing something similar and want to talk or join me, I'd love to have you. If you want to get a boost for your aging skin, I can help with that too. Wish me luck!

9.18.2015

Did you know that looking for the perfect college isn't like it used to be when we were in school? I can remember finally thinking about college during my senior year of high school and visiting 2 or 3 before choosing one. I had no professional guidance and not much of a plan.

Now the college process begins before your junior year of school so kids can determine the criteria for admission (test scores, GPA, etc...) early. We started our search over the busy summer andwe were able to see 9 schools. It's amazing how they just know when they have found the school that feels right to them!

We visited some schools during family trips and took a 2 day road trip to hit 6 more at once! He has determined he wants an east coast city school and fell in love with Temple University in Philadelphia. We still have a lot more to do, but this will focus our search for the next year or so.

Time surely flies - just look at the man he has become. He was a little boy when I started this blog and you have all watched him grow!

9.05.2015

Use your mandolin or a regular ol' knife to cut lasagna "zoodles" (zucchini noodles) lengthwise from a zucchini and layer with your favorite cheese mixture for a gluten-free lasagna that is just as yummy as the original.

Here is the cheese mixture I used:

2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded mozzerella
1 T. parsley
1 egg

Mix it up and layer sauce, zoodle, cheese, sauce, zoodle, cheese....ending with zoodle topped with sauce. (next week I will share my super simple homemade sauce I made from all the tomatoes in my garden!)

Bake 350 for 45 min - 1 hour until veggies are soft.

Makes about 5 servings.

I used a bread pan and used 3 baby zuc's for a lovely layered dish. As you can see from the messy dish, the additional water from the zucchini will cause it to boil over so place it on a cookie sheet lined with foil to bake.

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About Me

I'm a mom to three boys (ages 8-12), who's life revolves around laundry, football practice, blogging and art. Much of my daily interaction with said boys involves snacking, burping, discussions about "balls" or "peters", farting, or You Tube.
I have a small business and a group of friends (both real and bloggy) who provide me with the necessary estrogen to survive my testosterone-filled days. Got any estrogen to spare? Come on in!

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